Nigerian women has called on relevant stakeholders to remove every barriers hindering their participation and emergence as elected representatives in Nigeria’s democratic process.
The call was made in Abuja during an experience sharing platform for women who contested in the 2019 General Elections organised by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) on the theme, ““Strategy Meeting on Experience Sharing of Female Candidates in the 2019 General Elections”
According to the NWTF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mufuliat Fijabi, the meeting was part of efforts to sustain advocacy for women’s political participation in Nigeria and the importance of an inclusive governance process,
Fijabi added that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the varying challenges faced by female candidates in the 2019 General Elections irrespective of their political parties.
She commended all women who had put themselves up to be elected, describing them as “courageous women worthy of commendation.”
She also said, “female candidates in the elections who have gone ahead to file petitions at the elections Tribunal are bold and I hope that the judiciary will truly be their last hope.
However, the CEO decried the steady decline in the number of women in Nigeria’s democratic process stating that “Until women are recognized as significant players in nation building, and meaningfully represented in governance, the development of the country will not be as fast as it should be”.
The female candidates present at the strategy meeting were Rt Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola who contested for the Oyo North Senatorial District under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon Phina Kanu who contested for the Abia State House of Assembly under All Progressive Congress (APC) and Mrs. Christina Ude, who contested for the Imo State House of Assembly under the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Sharing her experiences Rt. Hon. Mulikat Akande Adeola stated that female candidates in the elections encountered several challenges including intimidations, militarization of the electoral environment, electoral violence, voter inducement and voter suppression.
“In the midst of all these challenges, we remain hopeful and motivated by the fact that increased political participation and representation of women will promote and accelerate economic growth in Nigeria while hoping that reclaiming our mandates will be promptly and justly addressed by relevant institutions,” she said.
Earlier, Mrs. Phina Kanu lamented the level of intimidation and threats directed at her supporters in her constituency.
Kanu emphasised the acute problems faced by women who showed interest in politics, she however urged women who want to contest to begin early enough in order to gather an effective support base.
Similarly, Mrs. Christina Ude, narrated an experience of political tokenism against her aspirations.
According to her, she was urged to step down her political aspirations for an appointive position in which she declined.
“My supporters were intimidated, and I also witnessed my supporters been prevented from voting for me or any woman. Voter inducement is growing and was the order of the day,” she decried.
Also speaking during the event Mr. Austin Aigbe of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Nigeria decried the poor level of representation of women in governance stating that, the importance of an inclusive democracy in Nigeria cannot be underestimated.
Aigbe therefore called on all stakeholders to support women’s participation in governance by ensuring a safe electoral environment.
Blueprint reports that the women collectively stated that due to the injustice suffered, they have resolved to challenge election results at the tribunals.
